The goal of this book is to present a
novel test methodology that can be used for optimizing cost and time efficiency
of helicopter-ship qualification testing without reducing safety. The main advantage of the “SHOL-X” test methodology is that the
operator can perform early evaluation of safety limits for helicopters
operating on ships in a wide range of in-service conditions. In this way the qualification process is less
dependent on the successful outcome of solely qualitative assessed test points
during dedicated sea trials. As such,
the test methodology can be used to allow a well-considered assessment of the
gap between the safe flight envelope, as determined by the helicopter
manufacturer, and the user-defined operational flight envelope for a particular
helicopter-ship combination.
Additionally, it allows initial assessment of the impact of design
changes to both helicopter and/or ship after the established operational
limitations, with regard to flight performance and control capability, have
been released to service.

The innovative test methodology enables
the construction of operational limitations by two different options. The first and most common option is using
dedicated sea trials in which the potential boundaries for the various take-off
and landing procedures are validated.
The second option, is the construction of the operational limitations
for Hot & Heavy conditions by desk-top analysis alone, i.e., above
approximately 25 °C outside air temperature (Hot) with maximum weight of the
helicopter (Heavy). The construction of
the operational limitations for Hot & Heavy conditions are based on the
data gathered during shore-based hover trials and the flight test results for
other referred weights (i.e. helicopter
weight as a function of air density) on board the same ship type. The construction of operational limitations
by desk-top analysis alone is a novel approach, and can be seen as the most
important achievement of this work.